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Beta Blockers & Blood Pressure

I have been taking beta blockers for the last 2 weeks to blunt my natural heart rate so that the pacemaker has to do all of the work. As far as my heart is concerned I am feeling great, but I have really low blood pressure while taking the beta blockers. With my doctors advice, I have tried lowering the dose, and lowering the frequency of the dose. So far, that hasn't worked, when I try to take a smaller dose, I start to get palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath...all of those horrible t...

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Hi Folks


It is hard to believe we have been here in Victoria nearly two weeks. I had my cardio checkup at Geelong Hospital yesterday with the specialist there. My PM check is on 1st September. I happened to mention if they checked Ela PM's and he said "NO" good job I mentioned it as they have made arrangements for the tech to come down to the PM Dept that day.

The sp was really good said my heart was in good cond and gave me some BP tabs with a diuretic in. I had been complaining t...

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Smitty and Tracey....I am still confused!

Sorry, I don't quite get the settings. I think I get the lower setting.
BUT..the high set point.....is that the one that they set at like 170 and if your heart beats to fast it will slow it down? I thought thats what the dual chamber did.
I have sick sinus syndrome.My biggest problem is that at rest...this includes any time I am not actively moving..my HR is around 34...and pretty much stays there until I get up and move or get upset....something to raise it. It then stays at a good ra...

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Beta Blockers

Why would the doctor put you on beta blockers so that you will pace more....I thought the idea was to let your heart do what it can on it's own. I was just reading that and am confused.

Holly

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Thank You Smitty and Tracey

I appreciate your responses. I know no two of us are the same...but we are still going through similar experiences.
I don't think that I would say I don't trust my doctor....It's just that before I listen to him tell me what it feels like...and what it doesn't..I would think someone who has one would know better than someone without one.
And I agree about the dual chamber....I don't know why he would want to give me meds instead of placing two leads to begin with.

I do NOT...

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Another question, and thanks

I wanted to know if anyone of you had your heart working only 15%, and if there is a way to make it work harder or higher.
Do the meds fix that. I was told that it can, was just wondering. Thank you all, you have already made me wiser to this new problem that I am going through. Thanks again

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Airport Screening

Anybody know if the new body scanners (like the millimeter wave scanners at O'Hare) are safe for pacemaker patients?? I looked at the TSA website but couldn't find any info on precautions or contraindications.
Thanks.
-- Jenn

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memory

greetings all:
i had my medtronics dual lead ADDR01 pacemaker implanted in 12/07 and have relatively few real concerns (okay, more just after the implant!). but all has been well. i had it implanted for sick sinus syndrome and take florinef to increase my blood pressure as it is usually very low. recently, maybe 3-4 months, i seem to be having some memory problems-shortterm recall mostly. i have always been very sharp, excellent with numbers, you know, math calculations in my head were no p...

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PM 2 weeks & tired

Hello everyone, I am a 53 year old and I live in Finland. I got my pace maker two weeks ago. My healt has been quite good. But I have been tired during the last 6 months. During one morning I had three blackouts. The last one was a 15 sec heart stop (which was recorded by ambulance people). I also had a strange pain in stomach area which dissapeared soon. Doctors diagnosed FA paroxysmalis & sick sinus syndrome.

There has not been found any special reason for this occasion. The corona...

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WHAT IF YOU LOSE YOUR INSUARANCE?

HI all,
I have not posted in a few weeks. I get my St. Jude Pacemaker this Friday morning.
I guess i thought if i didn't think about it.....it would just go away.
I am so tempted to cancel...I realize you all didn't want one either.
So of course I am sitting here trying to think of why I should NOT get it.
BUT......I really do need to find the answer to this....if any of you have had this issue arise.
WHAT IF......I lose my INSURANCE ? I would have a PM that need...

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New PM - Changes in BP

Hello folks,
I had a pm put in two weeks ago due to low pulse rate that's been diminishing for the past two years. Always had a mid- to hi 50's all my life, but it had dropped to 49 - Tiredness, plus 2 atrial fib attacks in a year - Doctor wanted the pm in to help with tiredness AND to be able to administer a beta blocker to reduce chances of atrial fib attacks.

After PM implant, next morning I haven't felt that good and alert in years. Other than soreness of implant incision s...

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billie girl

i sent you messages hon jess

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Air bags in cars

Hi there guys and gals. I live in England and driving laws diffo in my country to other countries. We do not have to wear seat belts in my country if we have a pacemaker implant because if a collision occurred, the impace on the implant site could be quite harmful. So I am wondering about air bags that inflate on impact inside of cars. Any info would be totally useful to me
Thanks for any help
Fluzy Suzy

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Dizziness

Hi everyone!

I was doing some research on dizziness here on this website and found the following information. I find it very interesting as a lot of members seem to mention dizziness. Hope this helps.

Dizziness is the second most common complaint heard in doctors' offices (after lower back pain). Dizziness has many causes other than inner ear dysfunction.

Visual disturbances can result in lightheadedness or dizziness. Some people feel dizzy while adjusting to b...

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new pacemaker

I had my pacemaker planted 3 waaks ago, since than I feel funy.I feel pulsation in my abdomen and some discomfort in my chest. when I went to the doctor he checked everything and said i was Ok. I feel like this is not OK! Thas anyone have similar problems?

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EP?

Do most of you have an electrophysiologist or just a regular cardiologist? I was diagnosed in '70, before I think there was such a specialty. It never occurred to me to change to a doctor in the subspecialty.

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Pacemaker Settings

I have paroxsymal atypical atrial flutter and have a pacemaker implant with the heartrate set higher than my underlying natural heartrate.

My cardiologist states that he hopes that this pacemaker setting will prevent the rogue heartrate being allowed to step in. I have until recently been free of any instanes of irregular heart activity for 5 years - so the logic is undoubtedly sound.

However he states that if atypical flutter does manage to creep in, the pacemaker will clo...

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Thankyou Bambi.....

Thankyou for your explanation of gall bladder surgery.

It sounds awful, as I'd expected.

Going back to see the Liver Guy in mid-August, he'll book it at that time, unless it suddenly gets a whole lot worse.

Too bad he can't use the laproscopy on me, sounds so much easier.


I feel fabulous!

Bionic Beat

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Seeking Medtronic Insynch III feedback

Hello!

My boyfriend's EP has recommended this model, and he's getting it implanted on Monday. His last two PM's have been St. Jude's, which have been lemons in terms of battery life.

Would love any feedback anyone has on the Medtronic, espcially for a young, active person.

Thank you!

Best,
Katy

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Thank you and one more question

Hi all,

I just wanted to thank those of you that responded to my post regarding my new pacemaker. As I mentioned previously, it's been a difficult adjustment for me and your comments have been really, really helpful.

I mentioned I was getting dizzy after running and a few of you suggested I have my rate response turned off which makes sense to me. It's currently set so that if I'm not exercising, the highest my HR can go is 120. However, I think there's a motion sensor w...

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You know you're wired when...

You have a 25 year mortgage on your device.

Member Quotes

I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.